Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday said India’s AI-ready workforce and industry-backed skilling programmes are creating new opportunities for the country’s middle class while making India the preferred destination for Global Capability Centres (GCCs).
Speaking at a panel discussion titled “How to Promote the Rise of a New Middle Class?” during the Rencontres Economiques d’Aix-en-Provence at Aix-Marseille University, she said the rapid adoption of artificial intelligence, coupled with industry-supported skilling initiatives, is preparing India’s workforce for emerging technologies and driving innovation.
Addressing the gathering in France, Sitharaman said India’s AI-ready talent pool is strengthening the country’s position as a global hub for GCCs. “AI is creating new opportunities. With industry-backed skilling programmes and AI-ready talent, India’s middle class is powering innovation and making India the preferred destination for Global Capability Centres,” she said.
The Finance Minister also outlined the government’s broader strategy to expand the middle class and improve quality of life through a combination of affordable housing with interest subsidies, skill development programmes, internship opportunities and concessional loans for aspiring entrepreneurs. She said India’s development model is aimed not merely at lifting people out of poverty but at enabling them to build sustainable livelihoods and achieve long-term economic security.
The panel discussion also featured Joaquim Miranda Sarmento, Nadia Fettah Alaoui and Véronique Bédague, who discussed ways to promote the growth of a new middle class amid evolving global economic conditions.
